Real women do have curves, and thank goodness designers are embracing the feminine physique for fall.

The bohemian, waistless frocks and empire-waist tunics that make so many women look pregnant are being replaced with more body-conscious dressing and hourglass shapes, from chunky sweaters with wide-belts that accentuate the waist to fitted suit jackets and pencil skirts.

It's about time, says Betty Griffin, owner of Scruples boutique on FM 1960.

"We've been looking at baby-doll dresses forever, and those don't do anything for anybody — I don't care if she's a size 16 or size 2," she said. "We're doing a lot with wide belts. It's what I wore many years ago, but it gives the illusion of a waist even if you don't have one."

"The look is cut closer to the body and gives the illusion of the smaller waist," she said. "I wish they would bring back the shoulder pads. It takes a pear-shaped women and gives her more definition. It takes pounds away."

Evening wear from such designers as Dolce & Gabbana is also being nipped at the waist with belts. At the recent Emmy awards, Ferrera wore a bold blue Monique Lhuillier dress with a beaded belt just under the bust. It won the UglyBetty star rave reviews from fashion critics.

With today's average woman a size 12 or 14, it only seems natural that curves become a part of real-world fashion. "We definitely see people wanting to dress their body and accentuate the positive. They are wanting to show off their curves," said Kellie Brown, a spokesperson for Avenue. "I think with everyone embracing their curves, women are doing more to show off the figure they have."

Brown says menswear shirts for women are being cinched in the waist to create the illusion of a waist and other pieces are slimmed down to flatter a woman's figure.

B.J. Towe, editor of Figure magazine, which targets women sizes 14 and up, notes a "revolution" happening on the fashion front. "Sixty-two percent of American women are size 14 or higher, and smart manufacturers are taking their cues from that. There's a huge market that is starting to be addressed."

Towe said women are also more vocal about wanting more curve-flattering styles, not the stereotypical "moo moos." She cites designers such as Bradley Bayou, who once designed for Halston, for creating larger sample sizes than the typical size 2 or 4.

"There's much more self acceptance of their curves," she said. "They are no longer the anomaly. They are the mainstream, and that's very, very cool."